WHAT’S HAPPENING
Whether you’re looking for a date-night idea or entertainment for the kids, check out our local event listings.
The 31st annual “Bowlin’ on the River” Bowl-A-Thon will be Feb. 20-21 and Feb. 27-28 at Winchester Bowl, FunQuest Lanes, Billy Hardwick’s All Star Lanes and Strike Zone Lanes. Teams of five are asked to raise a minimum of $350 and each member will receive a souvenir T-shirt. Individuals raising at least $150 will get to select prizes from a variety of categories. All funds raised benefit Junior Achievement of Memphis. Reserve lanes by contacting Cody Fletcher at 901-5072068 or cfletcher@jamemphis.org.
Downtown
The Orpheum, 203 S. Main, presents A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder through Sunday. The heir to a family fortune sets out to jump the line of succession by eliminating the eight relatives who stand in his way. All the while juggling his mistress, fiancée, and threat of landing behind bars. Tickets are $25-$125. Visit orpheum-memphis.com or call 901-525-3000. Also coming up:
■ Saturday: Robin Spielberg, 7-9:15 p.m., at The Halloran Centre. Robin Spielberg is one of America’s most beloved pianist/composers. With an impressive tour schedule and hundreds of thousands of recordings sold, this Steinway Artist has been winning the hearts of listeners around the world with her compelling melodies. Tickets are $35.
■ Feb. 19: Doktor Kaboom!: Live Wire, from 7-8:15 p.m., at The Halloran Centre. Interactive science comedy show for audiences of all ages blending theatre arts with the wonders of scientific exploration. Tickets are $15-30.
■ Feb. 19: Contra-Tiempo, 6:30-8:15 p.m. Multi-lingual Los Angeles based dance company is dedicated to transforming the world through dance with their newest work, Augua Furiosa, confronting harsh realities of race in our country. Tickets are $15-$30.
■ Feb. 20: Stomp, 2-4:15 and 8-10:15 p.m. Explosive, inventive, provocative, witty and utterly unique — an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages. Tickets are $20.
Cookies with Cookie Monster is every Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m., at Makeda’s Cookies Downtown, 488 S. Second. Kids and kids at heart will enjoy cookies, free ice cream with three-bag purchase and take pictures with Cookie Monster. Email makedasmidtown@yahoo.com, visit makedascookeis.com or call 901-644-4511.
Civil Rights in Songs, Live! is today, from 10:30-11:30 a.m., at the Cossitt Library, 33 S. Front. Local artists perform and discuss music that was inspired by the Civil Rights Movement. Great sessions for students. Free to attend. Email jamie.griffin@memphistn.gov or call 901-415-2766.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, hosts Spirit of the Dream Thursday, from 6-9 p.m. Benefit featuring cocktails, art, a live performance from African-American artists, dancing and hors d’oeuvres in honor of Black History Month. Cost is $50. Email mykila.cobb@stjude.org or call 901-373-5051.
East Memphis
Poetry Society of Tennessee meets the first Saturday of every month, from 2-4 p.m., at the Poplar-White Station Branch Library, 5094 Poplar. Featuring speakers, workshops and readings. Free to attend. Email joan0620@att.net or call 901-361-0077.
The Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School, 60 N. Perkins Ext., presents Ana Gasteyer: An Evening of Cabaret & Comedy, 7 p.m. Thursday. Best known for her six-season stint on “Saturday Night Live,” she also is an accomplished musician, actor, performer and cabaret superstar. Tickets are $30. Email cfogarty@ bellsouth.net, visit buckmanartscenter.com or call 901-537-1486
Whiskey, Wine, and Chocolates is Friday, from 7-9 p.m., at Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Road. Evening with chocolatier Phillip Ashley pairing his delicious creations with a variety of whiskey, beer, wine, cocktails and Champagne. Cost is $35 for member, $45 nonmembers. Visit memphisbotanicgarden.com. Also coming up:
■ Sunday: Mother Daughter Valentine’s Tea, 2-3:30 p.m. Share a sampling of teas, sweets and eats with your favorite little Valentine. Kids will create crafts to take home and give their sweetheart, or as keepsakes from their afternoon with mom. Cost is $15 for members, $25 nonmembers.
Hope Church, 8500 Walnut Grove, has been awarded the honor of hosting A Night to Shine, sponsored by The Tim Tebow Foundation, on Friday. A prom night you will never forget. Walk the red carpet, enjoy the royal treatment and dance the night away. This is a night specifically for those with special needs, ages 16 and up. The event is only open to 200 guests. Visit bit.ly/1JOWAKl to register. Oak Court Mall, 530 Oak Court Drive, will host free
tax preparation services, sponsored by United Way of the Mid-South, through April 9, from noon to 6 p.m. The program offers tax help at no cost to taxpayers with a household income of $54,000 or less. To schedule an appointment, call 901-415-2790. The Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 4339 Park, hosts
SmART Kids Thursdays at 10 a.m. Children ages 4-5 are introduced to the Dixon through exciting art and horticulture activities. Science, art, literature, horticulture and more. Snack included. Reservations required. Free for members, $8 nonmembers. Visit dixon.org or call 901-761-5250.
Also coming up:
Children’s Flower Arrangement Workshop: Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon. Children ages 11-14 learn to artfully arrange flowers by creating beautiful bouquets as gifts or home arrangements. Reservations required. Cost is $15 for members, $20 nonmembers.
Art After Dark: Movie Night: Feb. 18, 6-8 p.m. Celebrate the Dixon’s 40th anniversary with a movie from 1976, “Pink Panther Strikes Again,” directed by Blake Edwards. Light refreshments and cash bar.
Call 901-481-7706.
Dixon 1970s Family Day: Feb. 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Celebrate the Dixon’s 40th anniversary, 1970s style. Transport back in time to 1976, the year the Dixon opened its doors. Create groovy art, enjoy far-out music, rad activities and explore exhibitions.
Food Truck Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Enjoy lunch from your favorite Memphis food trucks. Sit in the outdoor café area under misting fans, relax at a table in our cutting gardens or find your own secret lunch spot anywhere on the grounds.
Botanical Drawing Class: Thursdays, 2:30-5 p.m. A beginners-friendly drawing class using techniques from Betty Edward’s book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Registration required prior to first class session. Cost is $150 for members, $175 nonmembers. Five sessions included.
Midtown
Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper, presents
“American Idiot,” the journey of a new generation of young Americans, lead by friends Johnny, Tunny and Will, as they struggle to find meaning in a post-9/11 world, borne along by Green Day’s electrifying score. Times are 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $22-$35. Visit playhouseonthesquare.org.
The newly-reopened Sharpe Planetarium at the Memphis Pink Palace Museum, 3050 Central, presents several out-of-this-world experiences, through June 3. Visit memphismuseums.org for times.
Astronaut: Shows what it takes to become an astronaut. Experience a rocket launch from the inside the body of an astronaut. Explore amazing worlds of inner and outer space. Cost is $7.
Firefall: Journey throughout Earth’s violent history and see the impacts from comets and asteroids that have shaped earth’s surface. A reminder of our own humble beginnings in the hostile environment of space. Cost is $7.
One World, One Sky — Big Bird’s Adventure: Join Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu. Together they take an imaginary trip from Sesame Street to the moon, where they discover how different it is from Earth. Cost is $7.
Seasonal Stargazing: Hop through constellations, learn cool star names, and groove to planetarium space music in this full-dome audiovisual experience. Cost is $7.
The Memphis Astronomical Society meets the first Friday of each month at 8 p.m. in the Assisi Hall Science Auditorium at Christian Brothers University, 650 E. Parkway S. Visit cbu.edu.
Memphis Ukulele Meetup is every Tuesday, from 6-7:30 p.m., at Midtown Crossing Grille, 394 N. Watkins. The Memphis Ukulele Flash Mob brings together ukulele lovers to sing and have fun. This is a group for anyone who plays ukulele or would like to learn how to play. Spectators welcome. Songbooks provided. Free to attend. Email chicagodogcoach@ gmail.com or call 847-284-7760.
The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar, presents “Wonder, Whimsy, Wild: Folk Art in America,” through Feb. 28. Exhibition of American folk art from New England and the Midwest made between 1800 and 1925. Visit brooksmuseum.org or call 901-544-6200.